What are watermelon benefits and side effects? Is watermelon vegan? Gluten free? Acidic or alkaline? Low fodmap? Good for you? Healthy? Sustainable? Here are watermelon pros and cons: all the info on watermelon that every ethical consumer wants to know…
Food is something we consume every day and if you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on watermelon benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about watermelon benefits and side effects. This will include watermelon benefits for your health and potential risks, watermelon water footprint and watermelon carbon footprint, watermelon sustainability, if watermelon are vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if watermelon are good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be able to to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about watermelon benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Watermelon Benefits And Side Effects
Health
Watermelon benefits for health may include:
- aided digestion and feelings of fullness
- hydration
- prevention and treatment of erectile dysfunction
- promoted regularity, normal bowel movements and reduced bloating
- eye health and protection against age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- muscle soreness relief
- boosted immunity and detoxification
- fight and prevent cancer and inhibit tumor growth
- heart health
- lowered cholesterol and blood pressure
- delayed onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease
- reduced inflammation, risk of heart attack and stroke
- supple skin and possible protection against sunburn
- weight loss
Watermelon side effects may include:
- pesticide consumption if not organic
- do not over-consume, be sure to eat in moderation as with any food
- wash thoroughly before consuming to avoid harmful bacteria and parasites
Additionally, watermelon is…
- Alkaline 9.5 pH level once digested
- Gluten Free
- Not a common Food Allergen
- High-FODMAP (may cause gas, bloating & pain for some)
Environment
Water footprint: low, it takes 235 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of watermelon / 28 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of watermelon
Carbon footprint: low, 0.14 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of fresh watermelon, a car driving equivalent of 0.5 miles or 0.75 kilometers
Destruction: low, watermelon production is relatively sustainable, there is no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. buy Non-GMO/organic
Watermelon is…
- Sustainable
Animals
Kills: none, watermelon production does not require any animals
Harms: none, watermelon production does not require any animals
Indirectly kills or harms: none, watermelon production does not indirectly kill or harm animals as long as there are no toxic chemicals, buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Watermelon is…
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
Laborers
Health and safety: agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may face dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: laborers often face exploitation and tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks
Wages: generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Watermelon…
- May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
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Most US watermelon production occurs in Texas, Florida, Georgia and California, producing approximately 69% of all grown in the USA. However, out of all watermelons consumed by Americans only 24% grow domestically!
The world’s top watermelon exporting country is Spain. Mexico follows, then USA, Italy, Morocco, Greece, Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala and Costa Rica. For the United States market, watermelons primarily come from Mexico or Central American countries.
Yes! Watermelons contain vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin C, lots of lycopene, antioxidants and amino acids.
Is watermelon alkaline or acidic?
Watermelon is alkaline when fresh.
What is the pH level of watermelon?
Watermelon has a 9.5 pH level when fresh, once digested. Most fresh fruit is alkaline food.
When we eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
Is watermelon gluten free?
Yes, watermelon is gluten free. Watermelon does not contain gluten when fresh. Watermelon is a type of fruit, therefore making it a naturally gluten free food.
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
Is watermelon a common food allergen?
No, watermelon is not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to watermelon but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- peanuts
- wheat
- soybeans
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
Is watermelon low FODMAP?
No, watermelon is high-FODMAP, a food you should limit or eliminate it if on a low-FODMAP diet.
A low FODMAP diet may help those with bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
It’s all about knowing your body. Observe what works and what doesn’t. You body might even react negatively to a low-FODMAP food simply due to intolerance. Everyone is different! Be mindful and patient. Take time to get to know what’s best for your physical health and overall wellbeing.
Water footprint of watermelons?
Watermelons have a relatively low water footprint.
Yes, it takes 235 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of watermelon / 28 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of watermelon.
But how much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of “water footprints”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Carbon footprint of watermelon?
Watermelons have a relatively low carbon footprint.
It takes 0.14 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of fresh watermelon, a car driving equivalent of 0.5 miles or 0.75 kilometers.
Food not only has a water footprint but also a carbon footprint, known as CO2e, which stands for carbon dioxide equivalent. Since carbon measurements are a bit more difficult to comprehend, it is common to equate CO2e to the distance which a car drives in miles or kilometers.
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
But that’s not all!
It’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Is watermelon sustainable?
Yes, watermelon production is sustainable.
A 2018 Oxford University study is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet. They found ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
Read more about ‘What Makes Food Sustainable Or Unsustainable?’
Is watermelon vegan?
Yes, watermelon is vegan. Watermelon is a fruit and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments. So much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Additionally, the meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non-Vegan Foods List
Does watermelon have human rights issues?
The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
In fact, known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Additionally, workers can experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks.
In fact, fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards. Therefore, we can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Be sure to read up on this list of ‘Foods You Should Always Buy Fair Trade‘
Conclusion
Watermelon pros include:
- numerous health benefits
- sustainable
- vegan
- alkaline
- gluten free
- not a common food allergen
- low carbon footprint
- low water footprint
Watermelon cons include:
- possible laborer exploitation (as with most foods)
- pesticide ingestion and contamination if not organic (as with most produce)
This post was all about watermelon benefits and side effects.
Sources:
Watermelon, raw – FoodData Central – USDA
Watermelon – SNAP-Ed Connection
Agricultural marketing resource center: watermelons
